In late 2003 I injured my hands typing too much. It wasn't a gradual deterioration but a sudden type type tippety type OUCH! It was probably related to some difficult screwdriver work I had done right before the frantic typing to meet a deadline. My prefered ergonomics was probably not helping (keyboard pushed back, forearms resting hard on the table). In my case, the problem isn't the wrist, but the finger. Now if I type on a regular keyboard for a day my fingers will be be sore the next day, and by the end of the week I'm in significant pain.

When the injury happend I looked around the internet for a keyboard with the softest touch I could find. I came across the FW Touch Stream and rather high price of $350 was not an issue since my whole career was at stake. Also, the second candidate was $200.

I took me a week to get comfortable with the TS, and about 3 months to get to about 80% of my former speed. Now after about 1.5 years I'm still slower at typing and make more mistakes (I struggle toward being a touch-typist but still have to look on the TS for far pinky reaches), but after venturing onto regular keyboards since then I know I wouldn't last very long without the TS.

A few days ago a colleague was asking me about the TS. He was wondering whether he should get one. I pointed him at the FW website and he said, "They've stopped production." What a sad and frightening day! What do I do when my TS breaks?

So here I am, wondering what to do. Should I buy a replacement at any cost as insurance for the next couple years until someone makes similar keyboards again? Should I cross my fingers and hope my current keyboard lasts long enough?